Pogo Paradox
by magical m
Summary: My JC Endgame fix. Good thing there's a time cop around when you need one.


Pogo Paradox

Author: M

Rating: T

Episode Spoilers: Spoilers from _Relativity_ and _Endgame_. Also may contain references to _Killing Game, Unimatrix Zero,_ and _Human Error_

Summary: Everyone knows _Endgam_e shouldn't have happened, so it's a good thing there's a time cop around when you need one. This is my J/C fix for the C/7 and _Endgam_e temporal catastrophe.

Credits: Thanks to Jadie for the beta

Disclaimer: _Endgam_e belongs to Paramount and I received nothing but the satisfaction of fixing it.

A/N: Time setting is complex but not entirely important, so if this explanation loses you skip it and enjoy the story. From Captain Braxton's point of view this takes place before the events in _Relativity_. That is to say, Endgame took place, caused Captain Braxton to go insane therefore _Endgam_e happened. So in his timeline, _Endgam_e is followed by _Relativity_. For the rest of us these events take place during _Endgam_e. (Which for Admiral Janeway is all in her past which changes her future, but we won't go there.)

A/N2: One final thing, I tried my best, but there is one minute technological discrepancy between this fic and canon. If you find it rest assured it can be justified with a simple techno babble alternate universe explanation.

* * *

Being troubled by the visit from her future self and wanting feedback from her first officer, Kathryn asked Chakotay meet to her in her ready room. 

"Chakotay, you must have some thoughts about the Admiral's proposal. Let's hear them."

"I trust your judgment, Captain. _Voyager _is twice as safe with two Janeways on board."

Kathryn leaned back in her chair and stared at him, incredulous. "That's it? No arguments? No questioning my judgment? No warnings about taking too much into my hands, or 'what right do I have' to mess with the future."

Chakotay gave her a lopsided smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Can't think of any at the moment."

Kathryn didn't know which she felt more: disgusted or alone. Something wasn't right about this. Chakotay wasn't himself. Had Admiral Janeway got to him, too?

Harry's voice came over the comm system. "Captain, you better get out here. We have another temporal distortion opening up."

Chakotay and Kathryn walked onto the bridge.

"Report," she ordered.

"It's got a Federation signature. We are being hailed."

"Put it through."

"Captain Janeway, this is the time ship _Relativity_. We are aware that you have a temporal fugitive on board and are beginning her transport now."

Admiral Janeway was beamed off of the bridge and _Relativity _disappeared from view.

* * *

Aboard the time ship _Relativity_, Lt. Ducane and Captain Braxton told Admiral Janeway about her crimes and the damage she'd done to the timeline, as well as explained their attempts to fix it. 

Lt. Ducane said, "Now Admiral, every time you've made this trip back in time you've interfered with Voyager's time-line on multiple levels. Have you ever heard of the Pogo Paradox?"

"Is that some sort of temporal causality loop?"

"Exactly. The time travel creates the situation the traveler tried to prevent."

"I fail to see how this has happened here." Admiral Janeway folded her arms defensively.

Captain Braxton hissed through clenched teeth. "You can't see it because of the temporal degradation!"

Admiral Janeway shot a sassy look sideways at Captain Braxton. "I beg your pardon?"

Braxton snarled. "This is the third time I've tried to fix this temporal incursion. And every time you reach this point in your life and you decide you want things a little better for your crew, you screw it all up again!"

"Excuse me?" Admiral Janeway's eyelashes fluttered in annoyance.

"What Captain Braxton is trying to say is that we've tried to fix the timeline before, but in each timeline you choose to come back and cause more changes, so that now the history you remember is a poorly degraded version of the original timeline. Clearly we cannot stop you from traveling back in time so we've decided to minimize the damage. There was a serious offense taking place aboard _Voyager._ You caught it in the first timeline, but in the subsequent three, your arrival back in the Delta Quadrant caused that offense to go unnoticed."

Admiral Janeway asked, "So I am about to witness a crime aboard _Voyager_?"

"Yes. It took place only a few days before your arrival and was perfected while you provided a distraction for the entire crew. You're about to witness the crime in process."

From _Relativity's_ bridge Lt. Ducane downloaded the Doctor from _Voyager's._ computer into a mobile emitter that was out of phase with the rest of _Voyager._ and then transported him to the cargo bay. Relativity's viewscreen revealed the Doctor's vantage point.

* * *

The startled Doctor materialized in cargo bay. He was about to speak when he saw he had been transported into an intimate and bizarre moment between Seven and Commander Chakotay. He clamped his mouth shut and stared.

Chakotay stood in Seven's regeneration chamber, apparently unconscious while Seven was manipulating the Borg controls. An assimilation tubule jutted out from the chamber and punctured Chakotay's neck.

The Doctor hollered, "Seven!" and ran to intervene.

His shout went unnoticed so he tried his commbadge. "Doctor to Captain Janeway."

There was no answer.

Standing beside Seven, he continued to yell, "Seven. Seven. What are you doing? Stop! You can't do this."

Seven said, "Computer reload alpha 3 Chakotay simulation into my alcove."

The Doctor watched Seven's actions and quickly grasped the nature of the complicated procedure she was performing.

Seven sang gently to her lover/patient as she adjusted the controls. "Just a few more minor adjustments and you will be perfect."

The Doctor watched the readings over her shoulder. "Fascinating. You've adapted Hirogen holodeck technology to create a neural interface in Commander Chakotay's mind that you can adapt and use to manipulate him. Ingenious Seven, ingenious but unethical and wrong, and why can't you hear me?"

* * *

Lt. Ducane returned the Doctor to sickbay and beamed back the out of phase mobile emitter. 

Admiral Janeway stared at the blank screen. "I don't understand what I just saw."

"Wasn't it clear?" Braxton retorted.

"But Seven and Chakotay got married. I thought maybe they were dating at this time, but this…"

"This is what happened the first time you traveled back in time, and we've been struggling to cleanse the timeline of this pollution ever since." Braxton rolled his eyes.

"Are you saying that before I traveled back in time they never married?"

Lt. Ducane spoke kindly, "That is correct, Admiral. In the original timeline it is you that married Commander Chakotay."

Admiral Janeway stared at the blank screen in utter disbelief.

* * *

The Doctor rematerialized in sickbay. In a panic, he clapped his com-badge. "Captain!" 

"Yes, Doctor?"

"I need to see you immediately." Without another word, the Doctor materialized in her ready room.

Kathryn sat behind her desk rubbing her temples to sooth the headache that started when she first encountered Admiral Janeway. "Doctor?"

"Captain!"

Kathryn frowned and wryly contemplated the usefulness of having such excitable personality subroutines in a hologram. She spoke slowly, "Yes?"

"I…I… just saw… wait!" Speaking to the computer, the Doctor said, "Computer locate Seven of Nine and Commander Chakotay."

"Seven of Nine and Commander Chakotay are in cargo bay two."

"Captain, I was in cargo bay two, but somehow out of phase, and I saw Seven of Nine and Chakotay. Seven had him in her Borg alcove and was manipulating his mind with a Hirogen neural interface!"

"Chakotay did tell me he had plans for lunch, but…" Kathryn considered the EMH's earnestness and repeated, "A Hirogen neural interface?"

"Yes! I'm certain of it. I was somehow out of phase and watched right over her shoulder."

"That's a serious accusation, Doctor."

"I saw it! It's happening right now."

"Tuvok, I need you in my ready room immediately."

Tuvok entered the ready room. "Yes, Captain?"

"I want you to take a security team to cargo bay two. The Doctor believes that Seven of Nine has assaulted Commander Chakotay with some sort of Borg-Hirogen technology. Please look into it. Hold Seven until we can have these claims verified, and make sure Commander Chakotay reports for a physical. Escort him there if you believe there is cause for concern."

"Aye, Captain."

"And, Doctor I'll order B'Elanna to run a diagnostic on you immediately."

"Yes, Captain."

* * *

Tuvok and three armed security officers walked into cargo bay two. 

Seven and Chakotay were having a picnic, drinking and enjoying a toast with synthoholic wine.

At the sound of the doors, Chakotay turned around and asked, "Tuvok? Is there a problem?"

"Yes, sir. Something has come to our attention and the captain would like you to report to sickbay immediately."

Chakotay acknowledged the order and jumped to his feet. He leaned down to stroke Seven's face gently. "Duty calls."

As the cargo bay door closed behind Chakotay, Tuvok addressed Seven of Nine, "I have been ordered to bring you into custody."

Seven raised an eyebrow. "I was unaware that it was a crime to have a picnic aboard _Voyager_."

"It is not. You are accused of assaulting Commander Chakotay."

Seven rose from her beautiful picnic spread and asked, "Did he look harmed to you?"

The armed security officers followed her movements with their phasers.

"That remains to be determined. Now you must come with me."

Two security officers flanked Seven. One held her by the arm, but Seven jerked away from his hold and stood proudly. "The captain is just jealous."

Using a minimal amount of force, they took Seven of Nine to the brig.

* * *

Braxton ordered Lt. Ducane, "Scan the time line again." 

"Yes. They did catch her. And yes, Taya Janeway is born April 7, 2378."

"So that did it." Braxton straightened up and folded his arms on his chest.

"Did what?" asked a dumbfounded Admiral Janeway.

Ducane offered the explanation. "Your daughter is critical to Federation advancements in temporal mechanics, and you have jeopardized her existence. We can't take our ship out of temporal flux yet. Her future must be secure or the Starfleet Temporal Integrity Division could cease to exist as well."

"I had a daughter?"

* * *

The Doctor and Tuvok debriefed Captain Janeway. The Doctor confirmed that Seven of Nine created a neural interface that allowed her to supplant Chakotay's personality with that of her holographic Chakotay. 

When Tuvok confronted her with the evidence, he got a confession from Seven that 'indicated a serious lack of remorse.'

"I can't believe it." Kathryn rose from her desk and began to pace her ready room.

As she walked, she spoke to the two men, still seated by her desk. "Chakotay warned me something like this could happen. When we made her a member of the crew, he expressed his concern that she was assimilated so young, but after all the years she has been with us, I thought any harmful Borg tendencies were gone." Turning toward them she asked, "Why?"

Tuvok was the first to offer an explanation. "I need to point out, Captain, that Seven's opinions and thought processes have consistently shown Borg influences. Her pursuit of perfection and efficiency and the conviction that she is always correct are indicative of a sense of Borg superiority. If she concluded Borg methods are superior, then it would be logical that she'd use them."

The Doctor added, "I think what Tuvok is trying to say, Captain, is that assimilation can be a hard habit to break, especially when she really wants something."

"A crude summary but the Doctor is correct."

Kathryn leaned against her desk. "And Seven wanted Chakotay bad enough to assimilate him? Who knew?"

The Doctor glanced at the floor. "I knew she had feelings for him, Captain, but I assure you I never expected it to come to this."

"What did you know?"

"That Seven was experimenting with a holographic recreation of Chakotay, but I assure you if I had any idea the commander was in danger, I would have said something."

Tuvok said, "Regardless Doctor. You knew full well that creating a holo-image of the commander is against Starfleet regulations. You were negligent in your duties by indulging her fantasy."

Kathryn extended a hand to express her reassurance. "I'm sure you would have, Doctor. Please, tell me what his condition is now."

"I expect a complete recovery. Seven's neural interface was more sophisticated than the Hirogen's, so it took a bit of work, but I have completely reversed its effect on the commander's personality. However, the memories are more difficult."

"Explain."

"When I was somehow transported to the cargo bay to witness this crime, Seven was in the process of downloading the Chakotay hologram's memory files into the commander's mind. Unfortunately those events are now part of Chakotay's memory. Although his thoughts and feelings about those events will be different than that of the holographic Chakotay, the commander will remember them as something that took place involving him. It could be pretty traumatic or Chakotay may cope with it fairly well, it's hard to say."

"Curious," Tuvok said. "Did Seven have sexual relations with this hologram?"

"I don't know that," the Doctor answered.

"What difference does it make?" Kathryn asked.

"I'm considering the complexity of this crime from a legal standpoint. It's hard to know precisely what the charges should be."

Kathryn's eyes grew wide and she inhaled deeply. "I have no idea either, Commander, but it will be your job to find out. Access her holo-programs, her logs, what ever you need. Interview Chakotay when he is recovered and keep her in the brig until you have the charges determined. Have the brig fitted for her as it was when she was first disconnected. Perhaps the Doctor can work with you on a method of rehabilitation."

The Doctor nodded.

"Dismissed."

* * *

Admiral Janeway was detained aboard _Relativity_ while Captain Braxton attempted to implement some basic temporal rehabilitation. It wasn't going well and he was beginning to lose his cool. 

"You can't use time travel as a way of dealing with regret!"

Janeway rolled her eyes and said, "It's about more than regret, Captain. I did what's best for my crew."

Braxton wrinkled his nose and mimicked her, "I did what's best for my crew…. crew… crew. Admiral Janeway, you don't have a crew! You don't have a ship. In any time line, at this point in your life, you haven't been in command of _Voyager_ for at least ten years."

"Then obviously you don't know what it's like to have a crew that becomes family to you."

"Family! My assignment has been to save your family from your own damned good intentions." Braxton stormed out of the room.

A few minutes later, Lt. Ducane came in. "I apologize Admiral if the captain was rude to you. Captain Braxton has been under a lot of stress. Can I get you something? A coffee perhaps?"

"Please," Admiral Janeway emphasized her appreciation for the offer.

Over coffee, Ducane frankly explained the difference in the time lines.

"You see, in the time line we are trying to preserve, much of the things you came back to change don't take place."

"What about Tuvok?"

"You formed an alliance with a Borg cube that was liberated through Unimatrix Zero. On that cube there was a Vulcan who was compatible for the treatment Tuvok needed."

"And Seven of Nine? She died?"

Ducane shook his head. "Seven was still in rehab and never went on that away mission."

"Chakotay never mourned her."

"That's right."

"But what of the two dozen others who died?"

"You lost eight. But there are untold thousands that were liberated from the Borg on account of your alliance with the liberated Borg vessel. Together you built technologies and your experience with Seven helped you to aid them in finding their individuality."

"And we get home?"

"Twelve years after you were stranded in the Delta Quadrant, you get home."

Pleased with this news and puzzled by her own predicament, Admiral Janeway cocked her head and said, "Then what did I come back her for?"

"That's what we don't understand. But try as we might we can't seem to stop your journey. Clearly there is a causality loop here. Would you help us try to unravel the cause and effect?"

Admiral Janeway stood up, eager to take a look at that puzzle. "Absolutely. Now why didn't Captain Braxton just ask?"

As they exited the room she asked the young Lieutenant, "You said I married Chakotay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She grinned at him. "I think that might be it, right there."

* * *

Admiral Janeway materialized in Captain Janeway's ready room. 

Kathryn looked at herself and stood up from behind her desk. "Oh no! Not you again. How did you get back here?"

Admiral Janeway sat on the sofa. "_Relativity_ sent me back. They believe I belong here, that we need to talk." She patted the spot beside her.

Kathryn raised a hand up in a clear stop signal. "If this is about taking on the Borg, I have too much on my plate right now."

Admiral Janeway waved her hand indicating that was old news. "No, forget about that, we'll beat the Borg another day. I'm here to talk about us."

"Us?"

"Yes, me, you… however you want to look at it. Us."

"What about us?" Kathryn walked to where the Admiral was seated.

"We love Chakotay."

"Excuse me?"

Admiral Janeway waved a finger at her. "Oh, you know we do."

"Now what does that have to do with anything?" Kathryn almost whispered.

"Everything." Admiral Janeway spoke with confidence. "For a life time, I thought we couldn't be together, but after some time aboard _Relativity_, I found out the future believes we are meant to be together. Don't you get it? It's okay. What you have been fighting against all these years is meant to be."

Kathryn sunk into the sofa. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

* * *

Admiral Janeway returned to _Relativity_. They had been given orders to return her to her own time frame, and Braxton muttered under his breath what he thought about those orders. 

Ducane did his best to prepare Janeway for what she was going to encounter when she got home. Her family, including husband and daughter, and friends were worried about her, and Starfleet was likely going to give some serious consequences for her actions.

As they said their good byes, Admiral Janeway began to say, "Lieutenant I need to tell you something about your Captain. I've seen him in my past and I'm afraid…"

"Admiral, remember the temporal prime directive. If it was a future Captain Braxton that you want to tell me about then I cannot permit it. Besides with your daughter's future secure, thanks to your chat with you're past self, the Temporal Integrity Division is now stable and Captain Braxton can take some time off."

"Very well then." Admiral Janeway sighed and got in her shuttle.

* * *

When the Doctor informed Kathryn that Chakotay was starting to regain consciousness, she went and sat by his side. He thrashed against the memories that were implanted in his mind. In sympathy she took his hand and called his name. 

"Chakotay, Chakotay. It's alright." Unconsciously she held his hand tightly against her chest.

Slowly he stirred. He looked up from the biobed and smiled. "Kathryn, I'm so glad to see you. I think I just had the most wicked dream."

She traced his tattoo with her finger and said, "I know. But it's nothing compared to the nightmare that could've happened."


End file.
